


the Sports Festival FINAL

by Artistic_Gamer



Series: Izuku haunts class 1-A [21]
Category: BnHA, Boku no Hero Academia, My Hero Academia, mha
Genre: Character Death Implied/Mentioned, Ghost!Midoriya, Izuku gets to play with his new power, Midoriya haunts 1-A, Midoroya takes Bakugo's advice, One-Shot, Other, Todoroki has another revelation, but I'm back to wrap this arc up, but you get an idea here, eyyyy its been a minute huh??, he really gets to mess around with the power later, just a smidge, just blasting through the last matches really, just. class 1-A ok we all know by now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:53:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24177712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artistic_Gamer/pseuds/Artistic_Gamer
Summary: The tournament is finally coming to a close. Izuku is excited about his newfound control and experiments with Aizawa. Meanwhile, Shouto has his second epiphany and is feeling a bit strung out.
Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku
Series: Izuku haunts class 1-A [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1553269
Comments: 122
Kudos: 1846





	the Sports Festival FINAL

**Author's Note:**

> Before we get started, I just want to say: thank you to each and every reassuring and supportive comment left on my last update, even though I didn't respond, I read each and every one of them. It was a huge weight off my shoulders having everyone's support, and it gave me the reassurance I needed to truly kick my feet up and take the time off like I was supposed to. I've got my (healthy) coping mechanisms back in place, and I'm getting back into my groove, feeling a lot better. Thank you all for being so patient with me!! It means a lot :D
> 
> can y'all believe all of the Sports Festival happens in one day?? it feels like ten years ;-; thankfully this is the end, because as happy as I am with writing this arc, I am SO excited to move on to other shit jfc
> 
> man it's good to be back
> 
> oh, and @Sezija !! good luck with school today, I hope things aren't too stressful for you!

Katsuki stood across from Tail in the arena, eyes narrowed at his straight posture and sharp eyes. Anyone from his class - no matter who it was - couldn’t be underestimated. Everyone was smart, creative.

He was no exception of course, but he knew he couldn’t slack off. Admittedly, Tail had a lot more karate techniques mastered than himself, and Katsuki wasn’t fighting for only him anymore. Deku was expecting him to go as far as he was able, and Katsuki wouldn’t let him down, not again. The goal was first place, and while Icy Hot would be an inevitable issue, he had to  _ make _ it to Icy Hot to begin with.

The match started. Neither of them made a move, eyeing each other warily, analyzing and contemplative. Katsuki had ideas, but without anything to go off of he was a bit at a loss. He had never fought Tail one on one before, and while he had seen quite a few of the moves he made on Round Face, he didn’t know if Tail would even risk doing the same moves on him. 

Tail ended up moving first, quick and light on his feet. He closed in on Katsuki in seconds, and it seemed as though he had paid close attention to Eyebags and his fight since he mirrored Katsuki’s own strategy. He punched swiftly and rapidly, forcing Katsuki to duck and weave around the flurry of punches. The difference, however, was Tail’s incorporation of his feet as well as his fists, and it threw Katsuki off of his rhythm, letting a solid kick nail him in the shoulder and knock off his balance. Tail used the opportunity to strike his side - the same move he’d made with Round Face for the finishing blow - and the familiar stance had Katsuki instinctively blocking, his arms taking up most of the blow. Explosions set off from his palms, and Tail quickly withdrew from the sparks and flames to save his arm. Katsuki took the moment to orientate himself, regaining balance and sending a quick explosive punch straight at Tail’s face. It forced him to move even farther backwards, and sensing the change in strategy, Katsuki pushed forward.

Tail managed to catch him off guard with his kicks, but Katsuki would only make that mistake once.

He couldn’t outmatch Tail in hand-to-hand combat - as bitter of a pill as that was to swallow. The only move he could reliably make was catching Tail off guard with his Quirk. They’d be locked in a stalemate at best if they kept this up, and Katsuki would tire out and lose at worst.

Katsuki braced himself and dodged as Tail sent a couple jabs his way, and Katsuki felt as though the stadium and crowds faded away as his sight zeroed in on Tail, hyper focused. They traded blows, Katsuki just barely managing to match the martial artist’s pace. His arms pulsed from the jabs he had blocked earlier, and the punches to them now weren’t helping matters. He would send a few small explosions when he needed a breather, but it was only for a moment then Tail was back in his personal space. Katsuki was getting frustrated very quickly, and he struggled to keep calm and focused, growing more and more sloppy the longer he was strung along.

Katsuki knew he couldn’t keep this up. He needed an opening - just one.

His wishes were granted when Tail made another move to give a strong kick to Katsuki’s knee to knock him off balance again. He was ready for it. He sent an explosion towards the limb as a punishment for the maneuver, and Tail couldn’t pull back in time, too into the motion to fully stop his momentum, leg getting burned and singed. Tail hissed and yanked his leg back a little too late, and Katsuki took the opportunity for what it was, quickly attempting to mimic Tail’s hand position and posture to use his own jabs against him. He feigned aiming at Tail’s side, and only when Tail went to block the attack did Katsuki shift to a quick throat punch. Tail gagged, gasping, and Katsuki took a step back and punched Tail in the jaw hard with crackling pops in his palms, sending Tail sprawling onto his back, unconscious.

Breathing hard and sweating, Katsuki stood and braced himself for Tail to get back up, only for Midnight to announce that Tail was unable to fight. Katsuki relaxed, wincing at the bruises his opponent had given him, rolling his shoulders. He let out a soft breath of relief. 

He’d have to ask Tail to spar with him sometime.

Izuku floated by Aizawa, hand pressed against the pro hero’s arm.

Not phasing through, but  _ on _ it, and he could feel the fabric of Aizawa’s sleeve against his palm and fingers. The solid feeling he had experienced from Kaminari’s opponent flooded through his veins, shaky and unstable, but giving his limbs a warm feeling, like he was standing in bright sunlight on a hot day. Not unbearable, but not fully comfortable either. 

Still, he felt calm, no familiar swell of anger or sadness in his chest, growing and growing until he burst. At first his assumption was that he could only interact with things when he lost control and overflowed, but now he was calm as could be and patting Aizawa’s shoulder.

Izuku’s eyes welled with tears, a strange combination of joy and relief and melancholy. He never thought he’d be able to do this again.

_ Midoriya? Are you alright? _

Izuku let the feeling go, fading out until he felt normal again, and he sighed in relief. Keeping such strong concentration for so long was hard. He poked Aizawa’s hand and the pro hero turned the phone to face him.

‘I’m okay,’ he typed. ‘I missed this.’

Aizawa was quiet for a moment, then he stood up, Izuku floating away to give him room to do so.  _ Do you want to try something with me? _

He tilted his head, curious. Aizawa walked over to the counter, motioning for Izuku to come with, and he obliged, floating over to watch with curiosity as Aizawa arranged a few items in a neat little row on the counter. A mug, a couple of pens grouped together, and a magazine.

_ Let’s see what you can do, _ he said.  _ Take this as your own training. _

Izuku’s breath shuddered and hitched, familiar daydreams of hero costumes and combat moves flashing through his head, fuzzy and vague, but Izuku didn’t mind. The pleasant feelings made his chest warm and his smile grow.

Instead of pretending, maybe he could be part of the hero course after all.

Aizawa gestured to the mug, hiding his mouth behind his scarf.  _ Try picking this up and we’ll go from there. We need to see where your limits are. _

They did a couple tests. They found Izuku struggled with picking up the group of pencils, as well as picking up all of the pages of the magazine. Pencils and pages slipped through his fingers, and they quickly learned he couldn’t pick up two different things at once either - the attempt at grabbing the mug and a pencil had Aizawa sweeping shattered porcelain. The limitations were expected, considering he had just discovered control in his newfound ability, and Izuku was finding himself the most excited and nervous he’d felt in a long time. 

It was one thing talking to his friends, it was a whole different experience being able to interact with them, like a  _ person. _ He always felt like an outsider, hovering just beyond the class’ friend group, disconnected from cliques and social interactions. They did their best to include him in everything they could, but it just wasn’t the same. 

Izuku buzzed, and the door rattled in its frame. He couldn’t  _ wait _ to tell everyone.

Round three had just begun, and Kaminari was sweating bullets. 

He had been proud only moments before - it was a close match but Kaminari ended up victorious against Ashido. He was kind of freaking out. Him being in the final matches had been a goal, sure, but he didn’t think it was an  _ achievable _ one, just a hopeless daydream and a wish upon a star. But now? He  _ made it. _

Kaminari and Sero had taken to live blogging to Izuku while Bakugo was fighting his match - and winning, of course - and he had taken the opportunity to gush about it to Izuku in between rounds, and although Izuku hadn’t responded yet, he knew the kid would be just as excited for him. 

Then round three had been announced, and his heart decided to somehow drop into his feet and get caught in his throat at the same time. 

He was fighting Todoroki. 

It was an inevitability at this point in the rounds. He had hoped to any deity listening that he would be fighting Kirishima - who had won against Iida, the absolute madman - but he just had to be pitted against the class’  _ powerhouse. _ Even Bakugo would be better in theory, he was more familiar at least. With Todoroki, however, he was  _ fucked, _ plain and simple. Even still, he couldn’t find it in him to sulk too hard. Already he was running way ahead of where he thought he would end up, and everyone else’s support and enthusiasm was contagious. 

They stood across from one another, Kaminari giving a shaky smile to Todoroki, who nodded respectfully back, looking as calm as ever. Of course he did, what did he have to worry about? Getting sun in his eyes maybe. 

Midnight started the match. He took one step forward, and Todoroki froze his feet to the floor. In another blink, Todoroki had approached with swift steps and kneed him in the stomach, making him crouch low, and Todoroki took the opportunity to freeze his hands to the floor as well. 

There was a moment of silence, and Kaminari’s heart sunk as Midnight called the match. Todoroki stooped low, left side emitting heat as he began to thaw out Kaminari’s limbs. 

_ Sorry, it’s nothing personal, _ Todoroki said, halting and awkward, and even as disappointed as Kaminari felt he still appreciated it.  _ I have to win this for someone. _

_ It’s okay, _ he replied.  _ I get it. I didn’t expect to win anyway, _ he laughed. 

Todoroki gave him a curious look.  _ I finished it so quickly because I knew you had a chance to win, _ he said, and Kaminari stared at him in shock.  _ Your electricity and my ice wouldn’t be the best combination for me after all. Electricity and water? _

Kaminari felt some of his earlier energy well up within him, Todoroki’s words lifting his spirits.  _ Right! _ he said, unable to stop grinning.  _ I would’ve given you a run for your money, huh? _

Todoroki shook the water off of his hand and helped him up, a smirk on his face. 

Katsuki rolled his eyes as Round Face bugged Glasses for his phone, their chatter floating all the way up the bleachers. 

_ Izuku isn’t here! _ she was saying, loud and pleading.  _ He’s gonna be so disappointed he didn’t see the final match, at the least! Please Iida? _

He paused at that. She had a point, it had been a while since Deku checked back in or even caught up with the live blog, and he certainly wasn’t here now. The nerd would be heartbroken knowing he missed out on Katsuki’s final match - already he would beat himself up knowing he’d missed the final half of the Sports Festival. 

Icy Hot and Sparky appeared at the top of the bleachers, making their way down the steps and back to their seats. Sparky was instantly showered with sympathy, and Katsuki opened his mouth to say something at least a  _ little _ encouraging, but catching Sparky’s eyes Katsuki figured he didn’t need it. He didn’t seem all that bummed out, and although there was disappointment, Sparky was handling it surprisingly well. 

Katsuki stood and paused for a moment, Kirishima standing and already making his way out of the bleachers, taking the steps two at a time. Instead of following, he went down to the very front seats and dug in his pocket, glaring at the surprised look Round Face sported. 

_ Here, _ he said, holding out his phone to her. She lit up and reached for it, but Katsuki pulled it back before she could grab it.  _ Keep your nose in your own damn business, _ he warned.  _ It’s for recording and nothing else. If I find out you went through my shit, you’re dead. Got it? _

_ Yep! _ she chirped. Not amused, Katsuki properly handed it to her and she immediately began to work the recording functions, pulling up his camera and aiming it at the stadium. He nodded, satisfied, and turned back around to ext. 

He took the step up to the stadium. Kirishima’s stupid fucking smile greeted him, and he waved cheerfully. Katsuki scoffed and crossed his arms, refusing to look at his smile any longer lest he catch his idiocy. 

Midnight started the match and Katsuki made the first move. He darted forward with a swinging right hook. Kirishima activated his Quirk before the explosion could land, but Katsuki wasn’t bothered. 

Unfortunately for Kirishima, Katsuki understood his Quirk more from hanging out with him and sparring. Kirishima could take a lot, but everyone had their own tolerance, and that tolerance always had some kind of cap, an invisible line you shouldn’t cross or else your strength suddenly leaves you. 

Fortunately, Katsuki was  _ great _ at crossing that line. He was a tough bastard - he had to be with who his mother was - and Katsuki was ready to push Kirishima’s tolerance as far as he could.

Katsuki braced himself for the strain his biceps and forearms would go through, preemptively gritting his teeth, and Kirishima must have sensed his intentions or noticed his change in behavior since his eyes widened. He wasted no more time. Explosions burst from his palms over and over, pelting Kirishima’s hardened skin with a nonstop barrage. Even when his palms burned and ached, he didn’t relent, and Kirishima had no time to release his Quirk and recharge. Slowly he weathered away at his Quirk. Chips began appearing in the makeshift armor, crackling outward and breaking skin. Katsuki’s forearms felt as though a rubber band had been pulled too tight, muscles straining and threatening to give out on him, but he knew he had one more move to do.

He shifted his stance and leaned into a cracking right hook, a large explosion going off just as his knuckles made contact with Kirishima’s cheek, and his friend fell, bleeding and unconscious. Midnight labeled Kirishima unable to fight and named him the victor, the crowd going wild at his display.

Katsuki couldn’t relish the victory too much, not with the pain scorching through his arms. He kept them away from his torso, knowing from experience if they touched anything it would make the pain ten times worse. 

Shinsou whistled. Bakugo really was a force to be reckoned with, and as shitty as he felt thinking this way, Kaminari and Kirishima’s quick losses made his own short match sting just a bit less. Sharing the misery, he supposed.

Uraraka was trying hard not to get too worked up, her focus solidly split between the camera in her hands and her own excitement. Ashido, Kaminari, and Sero seemed torn between cheering Bakugo on, wild and laughing, to shouting empathetic words to an unconscious Kirishima. Shinsou thought the gesture was thoughtful, although pointless.

He watched with curious eyes as Iida suddenly rose from his seat, putting a gentle but firm hand on Uraraka and Todoroki’s shoulders.  _ I’m getting a call, _ he said cheerfully.  _ Make sure to record the final match, I would hate to miss it! _ His friends reassured they would, and Iida jogged up the stairs to exit the bleachers.

Shinsou met his eyes, shared a brief nod with his classmate, then turned his attention back to the arena.

Shouto watched Bakugo, eyes bright and sharp, from across the arena.

This was the last stretch, both fighting for the same person without realizing, feeling adrenaline pump in their veins as they waited for Midnight to start the match, their heartbeats thumping like hummingbird’s wings in their chests. 

The one they knew had the best chance at defeating them, crawling their way past the other and stealing the title of first place winner, was the person just across from them. The crown was right there. After all the fighting they’d gone through, they wouldn’t be going down without kicking and screaming. 

Bakugo tilted his jaw up, glaring, a challenge and a statement. Shouto glared back, a warning.

Midnight started the match with a wave of her hand.

Shouto dodged left instinctively, narrowly avoiding a large blast Bakugo had launched right out the gate. Shouto froze the ground to discourage Bakugo’s movement, but seemingly to spite him, Bakugo took to the skies with his Quirk, a manic grin on his lips. 

Fine, if that’s how he wanted to play. Shouto skated to the blonde, slowly at first but picking up speed as he went, ice forming and building in his right palm. He launched it with a strong throw, then another and another, but Bakugo was fast, ducking and weaving and heading straight for Shouto. 

He grabbed Shouto by the collar and hair, turning mid air and slamming his opponent into the ground. Shouto’s ears rang. He slapped his palm against the already frozen floor, and a burst of ice shot into the sky in a pillar, just barely managing to trap Bakugo’s torso in a grip. Shouto stood on shaky legs, blinking away the stars in his vision as the sound of Bakugo’s crackling explosion revealed his escape from the ice. 

_ Come on Icy Hot, you can do  _ better  _ than this! _ Bakugo roared, ice crumbling underneath his hands.  _ We’re in a tournament! The final round, you fucker! ACT LIKE IT! _

_ I am, _ Shouto snapped, watching tensely as Bakugo stepped from the ice pillar and landed on the ground. His classmate readied himself, palms sparking and a sneer on his lips. 

_ You’re ‘Icy Hot’, not ‘Popsicle’! Don’t play stupid! _ Bakugo lunged, and Shouto adjusted his footing to help with the sliding.  _ You’re going easy on me you bastard! _

Shouto dodged, expectantly sliding with the ice to give him some momentum. He turned and punished Bakugo for the brash action, giving him a solid punch to the kidney that sent him flying.  _ It’s not that simple! _ Shouto snapped back. 

He landed quite a ways away, but not far enough to cross the line even with the ice. Shouto cursed under his breath as Bakugo quickly got back on his feet.  _ Then for now,  _ make  _ it that simple! _ Bakugo yelled, clutching his side.  _ Whatever your fucking problem is isn’t about me, asshole! Fight me right or forfeit! _

Shouto’s mind raced as Bakugo closed in again, and he set his left side ablaze to discourage the contact and melt the ice around him, fire barely drifting from his body. He just needed a minute to think.

Instead of discouragement, Bakugo kept going right for him, getting steady and quicker on his feet once he hit land not covered in ice. With no hesitation, no flinching expression or wariness to him, Bakugo reeled back and punched Shouto in the face. Shouto flew backwards, just barely managing to make a pillar to catch him from flying out of the arena. He landed hard and painfully, having to take just a moment to breathe before he could pull himself up off the floor. He stared at Bakugo, wide eyed and stunned. 

Bakugo glared hard at him.  _ I saw you, _ he said, teeth grit.  _ Against Birdbrain. I don’t know what your deal is, but I’m not going to be stopped by some pussy-ass flames. When I say come at me, I  _ mean  _ it! _ Bakugo stalked forward, predator-like, explosions roaring in his palms and towering over Shouto.  _ Now are you going to stand up and FIGHT ME, or are you going to go down quiet? _

Shouto’s heart beat painfully in his throat as he stood up. He hadn’t realized Bakugo was paying that much attention to him, hadn’t realized he even cared. 

Did he really give his classmates that little credit? 

Izuku’s voice echoed in his head, reassuring and coaxing and sad, and something boiling and angry bubbled in his gut, thrashing and loud and demanding to be heard. 

No. No, he  _ wouldn’t _ go down quietly anymore. He was sick and tired of following his father’s rules. It was  _ his Quirk,  _ but he was  _ still _ letting his father control him, dictate what he could and couldn’t do, and looking into the roaring energy in Bakugo’s eyes, Shouto knew he’d had enough. 

Shouto stood up, hands sweating, and he took in a deep breath, a nervous tugging in his gut that he forced himself to ignore.

He would grow, he would be able to not only show his father fire wasn’t hateful, but his mother too. His siblings. His family. 

Heat gathered in his left side, fire climbing and growing and spreading until it was an unstoppable inferno, melting every speck of ice along the ground. Shouto met Bakugo’s eyes, expecting dread to stare back at him like he was looking into a mirror.

Bakugo threw his head back and  _ cackled. _

_ Welcome to the final round Icy Hot, _ Bakugo said, grinning, and he charged. 

Shouto, hands and feet numb with shock and nerves, met him pace for pace, adrenaline making his blood roar in his ears as the wind blew his hair back from his face. His left side was born for flames, for fire, and locking it up was no longer an option he would entertain. He had classmates, had Izuku, had  _ Aizawa. _ He didn’t have to keep this pain to himself anymore, didn't have to keep such tight chains on at all times when all anyone around him wanted was just - was just for him to do his  _ best. _ Was for him to be able to grow, to move past this.

If he couldn’t take the first step forward, he never would. Shouto was tired of standing still.

For the first time, Shouto felt like no one was watching as he met fist to fist with Bakugo, hearing a deafening explosion that made his whole world turn black. 

The stadium was silent, awe and shock at what they had witnessed causing a universal moment of quiet to process what just happened. Smoke from the explosion shrouded the arena in grey fog, thick enough to choke on, and it took Midnight and Kamui Woods shooing it away for them to see what was going on. 

Todoroki Shouto was slumped against the stadium wall, clearly unconscious and most certainly out of bounds. Bakugo Katsuki lay on his back in the arena, a hair’s length away from the line, unconscious as well, arms torn and bleeding. 

Midnight announced Bakugo the winner of the tournament amidst thunderous applause that he couldn’t hear. Medics came to the arena to take both boys to Recovery Girl, and even from all the way down there, the medics could hear a specific group of kids screaming and chanting Bakugo’s name from the stadium bleachers.

Hizashi pulled out his phone with a grin, forgetting about commentating entirely. Shouta and Midoriya would no doubt want to hear about this.

**Author's Note:**

> see y'all next Thursday, as usual!! if I ever need a break, I'll make sure to give you all a heads up so you're not waiting or worried, just like I did before. Have a good rest of the week everyone, and take care of yourselves <333


End file.
